January 19

From: Daily Sacrifice By: Henry Allan Ironside

Exodus 13:17‑18

“God led them not through the way... that was near.... But God led the people about.”—Exodus 13:17,18¹⁷And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: ¹⁸But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 13:17‑18).

WE may not always understand why God leads us roundabout through the wilderness of this world instead of taking us by what might seem to us a more direct and more agreeable way. But He is working out a plan in our lives that calls for the very experiences we are passing through. He has designed to teach us lessons we could not learn otherwise.

Had Israel missed these varied desert scenes they would never have known what God could be to a needy people in the way they proved Him to be. He led them by the right way, although it must often have seemed to them a strange way.

“He leads round, but He leads right;

Heaviest burden groweth fight;

Marah! Elim! Wilderness!

Each in turn the Lord doth bless;

Canaan shines, far off but bright;

He leads round, but He leads right.

He leads round, but He leads right;

Cloud by day, and fire by night;

Morn by morn, ‘Let God arise,

Scattering all our enemies’;

And we’ll sing with evening light,

He leads round, but He leads right!”